Certainly one of the greatest football games I've ever seen. I was rooting for USC, and was sure it was over when they were up by twelve. Sure, there were a few questionable plays, but in the end, Texas deserved it, certainly. Congratulations!

After seeing a couple Vince Young games this year, the NCAA should declare it unfair for him to return. The guy is a beast. As for it being a great game? Meh. I don't know. It didn't have that feel to me. A good game for sure. Vince Young was marvelous but there was something about it that seemed off. Maybe the lack of defense. Maybe all the weird mistakes in the first quarter. Maybe the inevitability that Vince would score. Maybe it was Keith Jackson being clearly out of his mind. A few questions? Why wasn't USC playing for a scramble in the end? Was their anyone spying the QB? And what the hell happened to Reggie Bush?

My only question is that why didn't USC punt instead of going for it at the end of the game, when it was obvious they couldn't defend against against Texas the entire game. I think it would have given them a slightly better chance. And yeah, on preview, justgary, that was also an obvious alternative. Just one or two plays could have changed the game I guess.

My only question is that why didn't USC punt instead of going for it at the end of the game, when it was obvious they couldn't defend against against Texas the entire game. I think it would have given them a slightly better chance. But you could also say since they couldn't stop texas they were better off trying to keep the ball. Two more inches and they're champs. Hard choice.

Awesome display of poise and talent. On that game-winning drive, when USC came with the blitz package on almost every down, Vince Young looked calm, collected, and totally in control. On the plays when he took off with the rock, he shredded through the defense, adding impressive yardage after the initial contact. Here's the big question: San Francisco or Detroit? Does Baltimore use Ray Lewis to move up in the draft to get this guy? After the Rose Bowl, Young's gotta go pro.

Matt Leinart sounded like a complete tool when he made the point right after the game that he believes that USC was a still better team than Texas, even though Texas won. No one ever comes off very well when they make that statement. I'm not sure why they do it. It screams "sore loser". It's O.K. to think it, but keep it to yourself.

Maybe it was Keith Jackson being clearly out of his mind. Was it the comment about how USC was readying Josh Booty to come in that did it for you? Great game decided by the big players. You can say it was a lack of defense, but I think it was more about Leinart, Bush, Lindale White and Young taking over the game. My instant take on it is that it was one of the greatest college games of all-time, both before and after it was played. I still can't believe Texas won it after going down by 12 with 6:42 to play. Did anyone touch Young on the final scramble?

How come there hasnt been a post about LenDale White? That kid did some amazing stuff in the biggest game of the year. What did he have? 3 TDs and about a million yds. Seriously though, he ran all over the Texas defense that really held Bush in check.

Absolutely dominating performance by Young. The game itself was entertaining, but I've rarely had the feeling like I had last night about particular player, knowing there was no way the opponent could stop him. That final drive, who didn't know Young was going to run the ball for the probable touchdown? Everyone knew it, but they were still incapable of stopping it. LenDale White looked like USCs Heisman winner. Living in the east, the majority of what I've seen from Reggie Bush is the highlights. They're great, but Vince Young was the most poised, impressive, unstopable athlete I've seen in this big a game. As mentioned above, Bush was on the sidelines a lot, especially during some big points in the game. His stock has to at least be seriously questioned about now. I still can't believe Texas' one touchdown (the lateral) was not reviewed. Other (obvious) plays were reviewed routinely, but not that one? USC could have (and should have) used a time out to force the review, but Young probably would have ended up scoring even if that play had been reviewed and changed. Texas is a deserving champion.

the NCAA should declare it unfair for [Vince Young] to return Supposedly if he comes out this year he'll be drafted as a WR, not a QB. He may come back for another year because of that. I think it's the throwing motion at this point, because the results have been ok.

Regarding the Young lateral, the announcers said something near the end about how equipment problems prevented the officials from reviewing whether his knee was down. Don't the Texans have to draft Young first at this point if he comes out? It's like Earl Campbell being available for the Houston Oilers to take in 1978.

What is that old saying Defense wins championships. Texas has one, USC doesnt. I am pissed that ESPN ran a bajillion part series talking about the National Championship teams from the past that 05 USC could beat. Obviously their defense couldnt stop more than half of those teams enough to win. They blew a 12pt lead with 5 minutes left in the game!!!!!!!! Was VY even touched in the backfield?? ESPN should have run that multi part segment last year when USC actually had a championship caliber defense. And look there is an edit feature, I would like to welcome you all to the modern world where we can go back and amend our statements and bend them to our will after hours of rethinking.

Several have mentioned the play by VY that should have been called back- when his knee was down and he pitched it. I agree it should have been called back- clearly he was down. But before all the USC fans jump up and say "If not for that play we would have won", consider that there was also a certain interception by a Texas db that should have been called and was not...

What is that old saying Defense wins championships. Texas has one, USC doesnt. The Trojans had 365 yards passing, 209 yards rushing, and scored 38 points. How can you possibly brag about the Longhorns defense in that game? I felt bad for Huff having to find something nice to say about his unit's performance when he won the defensive MVP award. By my guess, if USC had 10 more seconds, they would've moved into field goal position at the end.

It was a very good game and entertaining to say the least, but the greatest? That ignores the previous Notre Dame vs SC games through the years, also the great Nebraska vs Oklahoma and Notre Dame vs Miami games. There are probably many others that are better or at least as good as this game in my opinion. And I enjoy them all.

Now I'm just wonderin who do u think the Saints will draft with the second pick Leinart or Young???? I hope they draft Young since he can run and pass but his durablility is the question. He may have a short NFL career.

That ignores the previous Notre Dame vs SC games through the years, also the great Nebraska vs Oklahoma and Notre Dame vs Miami games. Don't just say it -- sell it. The Texas-USC game was expected for the whole season, decided by a fourth-down touchdown run with 19 seconds left, and had two Heisman winners and this year's runner-up playing key roles in the game. Texas knocked off a team that had won 34 in a row and was playing for a record third straight national title. The lead changed hands five times, teams lost 9- and 12-point leads, and there weren't a lot of penalties or cheap turnovers that slowed down the game. Vince Young's 467 total yards are one of the greatest individual performances in postseason history -- the yards are a Rose Bowl record and his 200 rushing yards are the most ever by a quarterback in a bowl. It's easy to think of the game you just saw as the best ever, but this one has to take a permanent place in that argument. The use of the term "bore" to describe it should trigger a mandatory drug test.

I, indefensibily, managed to fall asleep at half-time. Few things I saw: Vince Young was awesome. Totally in control. Bush is not an every down back at all - Wow. He can bust crazy, but I saw more of White, who looked NFL worthy. A lot of fumbles.

I, indefensibily, managed to fall asleep at half-time. I set the TiVo and went to bed when USC went up by 12 because I needed the sleep. It didn't work. I dreamed an entire football game (Patriots over Jags, 40-14) and had to get up at 5 to watch the rest of the game.

It was the best half of a football game I have ever seen-That second half was wild!. The Penn State v Florida St game was a more complete game, over-all! You know whats funny? Texas won the game. The first two people interviewed after the game were the Coach and QB of the Loosing team-now thats freaky!

Hands down one of the best games I have ever seen. The hype was big and the game lived up to it. Both teams stood toe to toe and slugged it out till the end. USC threw everything they had at Texas, but Young and Co. held up. Congrats to Texas and good riddance to USC. P.S. I hope Bush enjoyed his beating FROM Texas because in about 8 months he is going to start taking a beating FOR Texas.

That's the first college football game that I have watched in a long time. Wow, V Young looked incredible - it was like have a running back in reserve that the QB could go to if he didn't like the passing options - except that the QB himself was the running back in reserve. But I was wondering - is a college football game typically 4 hours long? I was just thinking at the time - an EPL game is done in about 2 hours while an NHL game will take 2.5 hours but this game was way longer. And wasn't nearly as interesting in the first half as it was in the second.

Why would the Steelers trade down so far if they wanted to get him? Very true. Why would the Pats give up there only pick in the first round? Come on. You don't really think that the Steelers are even going to the Superbowl. Do you? Sad sad times ahead for you.

But I was wondering - is a college football game typically 4 hours long? Typically, they are well over the 3 hour mark. This one was longer than normal with USC involved and the replays that took far too long. I think they are going to have to do something to speed things up because it is really getting out of hand for those of us on the East Coast with J-O-B-S!

It was definitely a great game - but far from best ever - way too sloppy at times. And, although Young's performance is deserving of much praise ... I have to temper that with ... what, in the name of all that's holy, was SC's defense doing?! For an announcer to proclaim Pete Carroll as one of the best coaches and defensive minds in college history is a joke. I like and respect the guy from what I've seen, but their defense handed the game to Texas. If nothing else, to not put a spy on Young is mind-boggling, bordering criminal neglect. I was pulling for Texas (in part, to even further "justify" Ohio State's loss to them) and I found myself very impressed by someone I didn't think had it in 'em (Young) - but to declare him as the best QB ever is a stretch. Unfortunately, although an entertaining game, it goes 50/50 as far as giving credit to Texas versus a pathetic display of defense by USC (not that Texas' was much stronger).

Agreed. That was a sloppy game by everyone -- Texas, USC, the refs, the announcers, everyone. At least it was equally inept on all sides, and no one got jobbed any more than anyone else. But I stopped keeping track of all the mistakes long before everyone stopped making them. Vince Young absolutely made a statement, and good on him. Bush & Leinart didn't exactly disappoint either And the so-called "sour grapes" by Leinart at the end is the sound of someone who literally can't remember losing a game, and the fact that it doesn't jibe with his mindset that he's been superior to everyone he's ever met, up until last night. You could see him incorporating that brand-new thought into his mind with 90,000 people screaming in his face and national cameras recording his every hiccup. For the first time ever, and probably for the last time: cut Matt Leinart some slack. He showed signs of growing up after the game last night. Let's see where it takes him.

If nothing else, to not put a spy on Young is mind-boggling, bordering criminal neglect. they DID have a spy on him the whole game. On the last play that was the guy diving at his feet as he danced past him.

Fourth and two, game on the line, heisman winner on the sidelines. How does that happen? As I read in one review prior to the heisman voting...how do you give him the heisman when if you need a tough yard, it's White who gets the ball? What Young did last night was amazing. And it wasn't against Fresno State.

Regarding the Young lateral, the announcers said something near the end about how equipment problems prevented the officials from reviewing whether his knee was down. Equipment problem? In the biggest game there was? Please. I never heard that said, but with a stadium full of all kinds of technology, I'm sure they could have found a way to avoid the glitches which allowed a touchdown to be credited on a play in which the person with the ball was clearly down. As I said earlier, they avoided problems enough to review dozens (seemingly) of other plays.

Equipment problem? In the biggest game there was? Please. I never heard that said, You must have had the sound too low (not a bad idea, actually). Buy yes, the announcers said just that. Isn't the fact that the game lasted so long partly due to the extrordinarily long half time crap?

... how do you give him the heisman when if you need a tough yard, it's White who gets the ball? That criticism is overblown, in my opinion. Barry Sanders usually had a goal-line back in Detroit during his career, including Touchdown Tommy Vardell, but he's still one of the greatest running backs of all time.

It's easy to think of the game you just saw as the best ever, but this one has to take a permanent place in that argument. The use of the term "bore" to describe it should trigger a mandatory drug test. I'm with rcade. There can't still be plans of turning VY into a wideout if he goes pro, he's too dangerous as a QB.

Reggie Bush was the 3rd best player on the field last night. He lost millions, Matt lost millions and Vince made millions if he leaves. Vince is 5 for 5 on fourth quarter combacks, it was nothing new to texas fans, they have seen it before.

bdaddy, thank you for mentioning the spy. There were people there, but did anybody see how many tackles Vince Young shook. "Bush is not an every down back at all" He proved before this game that he is an every down back. You cant judge a career on one game. Did u notice that he averaged 6.2 yards per carry and 94 yards receiving? White was just the better tooled back to run against that defense.

Enough of this "so-and-so lost MILLIONS!!" nonsense. If the guys are good NFL players, they'll eventually make all the money they need. We'll see by draft day who has the millions, anyway, and smart NFL teams would never base their player management decisions on a single great Super Bowl performance, let alone a single great Rose Bowl performance.

Other than saying "yeah, there was a spy" ... who? No-one was consistently involved in tackles involving Young, and no mention was made of a spy throughout the whole game (although the announcing stunk). On his last TD run, the only player who got himself in Young's vicinty was a DL who rolled down the line. If THAT was the spy - that's even more ridiculous than not having one in the scheme at all. I'm not questioning Young's athletic ability or his strong performance - amazing. And, I could be wrong about the spy (I'd still like to know who). But, IMHO, his dominance due to his own ability was almost equally attributable to dry-heavingly poor defense.

alot is being said about the VY lateral for a touchdown. usc cannot bitch about that because texas was DRIVING on their ass and would have scored anyways it would have been first down at the ten yard line, and how about that other interception by texas? its hard for me to write these things but for one night i was yelling HOOK 'EM

He proved before this game that he is an every down back... White was just the better tooled back to run against that defense. I'd like to point out that Bush wasn't on the sideline the whole game. He was lined up as a wide out for a large portion of the game. And he didn't cost himself anything. He played the role the team needed him to, it just wasn't carrying the ball. Texas had dime and nickel out there all night. Why not run the big guy?

Besides that, the guy diving at his feet was a USC defensive linemen. Who the hell spys a guy like Vince Young with a defensive linemen? USC has some speed in the linebacking core and at safety. They should have had the fastest guy watching his every move. And since when is Bush not an everydown back? Sure, they use White in short yardage situations for the most part, but do we suddenly forget what the guy did this year? Take a look at all the second-half comebacks that USC made this year. Every one of them was keyed by Bush. He touched the ball four times in the second half. In the last eleven minutes of the game, after he ran for that amazing touchdown and seemed to show that he had his head back in it, he touched the ball once and that was on the second to last play of the game. I just don't understand the logic in this. White played a great game for sure, but White can't break a game open like Bush can. If you don't give the man the opportunities, you're really wasting a big chance.

alot is being said about the VY lateral for a touchdown. usc cannot bitch about that... Mostly they can't complain because they didn't even bother to challenge the call, terrible as it was. Personally I was underwhelmed with USC coaching and game management. Not throwing the red flag here and burning their final time-out because they didn't anticipate the 2 point play are a few of the reasons.

and smart NFL teams would never base their player management decisions on a single great Super Bowl performance, let alone a single great Rose Bowl performance. Smart being the key word. Remember Larry Brown?

There's no red-flag coaching challenge system for instant replay in college, STL. The most you can fault USC coaches for with Young's lateral is not calling timeout before the PAT to give officials more time to decide whether to review the play.

There have been a couple comments about the potential Texas interception. I think they got the call right, even though it was a tremendous effort by the DB. This is one instance where the ground CAN cause an incompletion. The receiver has to demonstrate control of the ball. Since, until hitting the ground the DB was in mid-air, the ball popping out once he made initial contact with the ground = lack of control. Differing opinions welcome, but I think this was the bad announcing and harping on the same point -made viewers believe in something not totally accurate (as I initially did).

Equipment problem? In the biggest game there was? Please. I never heard that said, You must have had the sound too low (not a bad idea, actually). Buy yes, the announcers said just that. Maybe as a backup system, they should run a regular TV cable into the box and bring themselves in a 13 inch black and white set, so they can see the same, blatantly obvious thing every one of millions of viewers around the world saw from every possible angle, and, in turn, don't end up looking like complete morons, because they're the ones who really NEED to be able to see it. And it's not a excuse for USC, because I, for one, didn't care who won the game. Even if Texas would have scored on the very next play is no reason to credit them for a TD on a play that should have been whistled dead. If that was the case Texas wouldn't have even have had to take the field for their final drive, because I pretty much knew (as did many people) they were going to get into the end zone.

Besides that, the guy diving at his feet was a USC defensive linemen. Who the hell spys a guy like Vince Young with a defensive linemen? USC has some speed in the linebacking core and at safety. They should have had the fastest guy watching his every move. I was wondering about that. Young seemed to just jog down the field in slow motion while USC defenders staggered around him drunkenly. Maybe it was the camera angle.

Anyone who wants to pass on Reggie Bush based on last night's performance should also be sent to the SpoFi Mandatory Drug Program. Other than a dumb-ass lateral tendency (when did that become ok? I feel like I've seen more of those in the last two years than the last twenty-- and they used to only happen at the end of a half), he's still a beast. So is Lendell White, but Bush is a Marshall Faulk-type matchup headache.

It seemed to me that they the USC defense did not have a spy on Vince Young. They played their regular zone defense. I can't imagine what they were thinking to not gameplan better for him. I don't think Bush did anything in the game that would make teams question whether to take him first. But, I bet that VY increased his stock quite a bit.

Maybe it was the camera angle. Looked like TX pass block schemes intentionally created right or left lanes for Young. Great idea combined with running receivers deep and knowing that USC D was weak. If you could ignore super Vince, USC coaching lost the game. Run the ball three straight times at the end. Punt the ball to force TX to go 80-90 yards. Do both of these and TX only has 90 seconds to go 90 yards instead of 120 seconds to go 55. With fewer TO's.

That game was very entertaining. I didn't know who Vince Young was (not a big NCAA fan), but I sure as hell will remember him now. That was one of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. I only had half-an-eye on the game (it was on in the background while I was in my weekly poker game) and everytime I looked over, he seemed to be running rampant over the USC defence. The biggest disappointment: the half-time bands. This is never good for TV.

they might bring back Ashlee Simpson Point well taken. sent to the SpoFi Mandatory Drug Program Can I go? If I ran the circus, aka the Houston Texans, I would pass on Bush. Trade down, and get Young. Dominick Davis is very capable and Young has the mobility to still be effective behind their horrible o-line.

Bush should have been in the game on that 4th and 2. Horrible play call. Congrats to Texas and Vince. That game was his to win and he brought the Crystal Egg home to Houston. I think he's opting for the draft. If he don't he's stupid. I still think Bush will go first but Vince will go second. I think any team with any common sense would atleast trade up to get him. I don't think New Orleans is ready to pick a QB, but I might be wrong.

As a denizen of the east coast, forced to watch ACC football all year long, I say to hell with regional schools, show me more guys like Vince Young. Damn, he was impressive. Mack Brown finally gets the title he was never going to win here in Carolina. I don't think New Orleans is ready to pick a QB, but I might be wrong. Aaron Brooks is history, my friend.

Young seemed to just jog down the field in slow motion while USC defenders staggered around him drunkenly. Maybe it was the camera angle. Nah...he just makes it look that way and smart NFL teams would never base their player management decisions on a single great Super Bowl performance, let alone a single great Rose Bowl performance. Have you NOT been watching these guys all season?

Ok. So I waited a day before posting because I am still unexplicably pissed. I'm not a USC fan and I'm not a Texas fan. I'm an Oregon fan and suppose it is my Pac-10 alliance. I'm sitting in China at noon on Thursday listening to the game, (thanks WWLS). I've got a buddy in Guangzhou who gets ESPN chatting with me and we realize that his TV feed is behind my radio feed. It comes down to that last play, Vince Young 4th and what 4 or 5? I tell Ryan that USC just better cover Vince. Now, I realize that I'm not the only one that saw that coming but how can I, from the other side of the freaking planet, see it on the radio and the entire USC defense can't. Amazing.

Certaintly not to take anything away from V.Y., but most of his yards came from the ineptitude of a questionable defense! I could have ran that last play, and my blazing speed in the 40 is 4 minutes w some oxygen!! And don't think I'm bagging on USC, because I'm a So Cal native whose followed them all my life! I just think they got mesmerized by him and wanted to watch him instead of tackle him!

Not the greatest game of all time...the 2003 championship was better. Plus, although there was plenty of excitement and loads of talent, the play was also very sloppy. Oh, well, I guess that's just college football....

Did anyone find the dehydration the Texas defense was going through odd? It seems very strange to me for players used to playing in 100 degree heat to dehydrate on a night when the high temp was around 60. Not to take anything away from SC, but defense did hold them to 10 points in the first half with the two scores coming almost 28 minutes apart. The Texas defense just seemed to not have the legs in the second. Of course, Vince wasn't bothered by anything.

This is my first comment ever, but have been checking out this site for a while. Anyway, congrats to the longhorns! Has anybody thought about what the team will be like next year if Vince does go to the NFL? He seems to be "the team." I too saw it coming, I couldn't believe USC didn't. Did they watch any other Texas games?

Other than saying "yeah, there was a spy" ... who? No-one was consistently involved in tackles involving Young, and no mention was made of a spy throughout the whole game (although the announcing stunk). On his last TD run, the only player who got himself in Young's vicinty was a DL who rolled down the line. If THAT was the spy - that's even more ridiculous than not having one in the scheme at all. I'm not questioning Young's athletic ability or his strong performance - amazing. And, I could be wrong about the spy (I'd still like to know who). But, IMHO, his dominance due to his own ability was almost equally attributable to dry-heavingly poor defense. well I was being facecitious(sp?) about him dancing over the spy running to the endzone. I have no idea if that was the spy or not. And regardless of the announcer not mentioning it...you can simply WATCH THE GAME and know he had people on him. On options you don't have a "spy" you have someone assigned to take the QB, someone to take the pitch, etc. He simply made the guys responsible for him miss. During pass plays I saw no fewer than 10 plays (and I was barely watching) where the LB was shadowing him. He broke at least 3 tackles and juked at least 3 defenders every time he took off. The "spy" wasn't the issue...they had plenty of people on him. The issue was that those assigned could not tackle him.

I am a huge TROJANS fan, the horns won and deserved it. Regardless of blown calls or whatnot, SC lost the game. I still can't believe that they lost, but thats why they play the game. It was an awesome ride they gave us fans for the last thirty something games.

Vince Young. Wow. What an amazing performance in the biggest games he's ever played. An absolute man among boys. It was the best performance by a big time college player I have ever seen in a big game! The last two scoring runs, he looked like a big kid just flinging off his little brothers..Wow!

if you need a tough yard, it's White who gets the ball? That criticism is overblown, in my opinion. Barry Sanders usually had a goal-line back in Detroit during his career, including Touchdown Tommy Vardell, but he's still one of the greatest running backs of all time. I'd have to disagree with the sanders theory. For all the talent on top college teams, they're not pro caliber. Pro football is also more specialized than college football (though less so today). Bush had a good game. I'm not knocking him. But when your season on the line and you need two yards how in the world do you not give the ball to a heisman winning running back. Hell, use him as a decoy or on a screen play or short pass route. I agree that teams shouldn't think less of bush based on one game, but there was one player that was a man among boys, and it wasn't bush. If yerfatma is right and bush is faulk type player, he should have been on the field.

From the sportsguy: In his postgame interview with Holly, Matt Leinart throws out a classic, "I think we're a better football team, they just made the plays in the end," backhanded compliment before heading to the Roosevelt Hotel's pool bar with Nick Lachey. You're right, we shouldn't have played the game, Matt. That was stupid. You guys were better. Not only is Vince Young the best player in college football, his Rose Bowl performance following the Heisman Trophy ceremony ranked at least an 8.3 on the Vengeance Scale. It's nice to see an athlete back up his own words, isn't it? If your season potentially rides on one first down, and you have a Heisman Trophy winning running back on your team ... well, you might want to have him on the field. It's a little unorthodox, I know. But it's probably a good idea.

I really liked Matt Leinart before he made that comment. Thats just not something u say. Don't disrespect the Longhorns, because u played this year for nothing. No Heisman and no championship. Well, maybe he's just not used to losing, so he did not know what to say. When you have played on an undefeated team or had a long winning streak, it takes a while to realize that you have actually lost. Sometimes it takes a few days. I wondered why Lienart would stay for an extra year, then I though to myself it might be nice to go back and experience college as a Heisman trophy winning national championship QB. I mean he must meet alot of interesting people in the Hollywood area.